Tia Bolden

When did you participate in Project Iowa’s program Cultivating Careers? Summer of 2021

 Current Employment: Accountant, Oakridge Neighborhood

 Why did you participate? For a better understanding of self and to hopefully change careers.

 Describe your experience with Project Iowa and working through the program.
Five words I would use would be: inspiring, thought-provoking, self-healing, admiration, hard-work. This program inspired me to change my thought within myself. Thought-provoking due to the challenges of changing my everyday thinking for the better. The self-healing brought up some things that not only challenged me, but it affected some deep-rooted issues from my past. I believed it was going to have a hold on me forever. But it was not so. Each facilitator said or brought things to my attention and in the power of belief in myself, I found healing. Admiration shined through my peers and the commitment I had for them was nothing, but pure acceptance, love and again, for lack of a better word – admiration. Witnessing the growth of myself and my peers allow me to respect differences, but finding those similarities to help us all nurture, and motivate a sincere transformation.

Did you find your purpose by working with Project Iowa?

I found more than my purpose. I found that my “why” is what drives my purpose. My purpose is as it always
has been to help. How I help was refined into a vision for my purpose. Granted this didn’t come overnight, but as I found myself in this program, I realized that my vision became clearer and some revisions needed to be made. I’ve learned to accept this and know I am making the necessary progress as I grow, heal, and remain conscious in living my purpose.

 What are you doing differently now because you went through Project Iowa?
A lot of pausing, a lot self-reflection, and remembering the power of my thoughts.

 Why does Project Iowa matter?
The passage below is the reason why I feel Project Iowa matters!

“I’m writing this in part to tell you that if you ever wonder what you’ve done in your life, and everyone does wonder sooner or later, you have been God’s grace to me, a miracle, something more than a miracle.” – Marilynne Robinson, Gilead